Process for the concentration of wool-scouring and like liquors and the recovery of grease and alkaline substances therefrom.



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EDGAR VINCENT CHAIIIBERS, THOMAS CHARLES HAMMOND, AND GEOFFREY G.

' JARMAIN, OF HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND.

PROCESS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF WOOL-SCOURING.AND LIKE LIQUOBS AND TH RECOVERY OF GREASE AND ALKALINE SUBSTANCES THEREFROM.

No Drawing To all m7: 0m it may concern lie it known that we, EDGAR VINCENT Cnaarnnus, Tnornxs CHARLES HAMMOND, and Grorranr (irEORGE JARMAIN, subjects of King George V of Great Britain, residing at l-luddersfield, in the county of York, England, have invented certain new and useful improvements in processes for the concentration of ool-scouring and like liquors and the recovery of grease and alkaline substances therefrom, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the concentra tion of Wool scouring and like liquors and the recovery of grease-"and alkaline salts or substances contained therein and has for its object the treatment by an improved process of such scouring liquors for the purposes specified and for admitting of re-use of the scouring liquor after each separation has been effected, such improved process eliminating the purification of polluting efiluent heretofore required before its discharge into the river and the use of acid necessary for recovering grease. by other processes, and effecting. a considerable saving of soap and alkaline detergents.

' For effecting an. easy separation oii grease from scouring liquor, it is necessary to obmin as great a di-flerence of density between the grease and the aqueous portion oi the liquor as possible, and previously this has best been obtained by evaporation of the scouring liquor after it has been once used in the scouring machine. This process of evaporationnecessitates the employment of a costly plant, Which has frequently to be repaired and a considerable expenditure in fuel, While 'close attention must begiven during the operation.

Our invention is intended to obviate the necessity for evaporation and in carrying out our improved process, we take the liqurd from the scouring machine or vessel,

when it has become foul, and subsequently separate the sand contained therein by setiip ecification of Letters Fatent.

Applicationfiled May 10, 1915. Serial No. 27 ,077.

re-useas a scouring agent and is conveyed back to thescouring machine, the residue of the sand left in the liquor forming a third layer against the inner Wall of the basket or drum of the extractor from which it'is subsequently removed by hand or other means. The object of heating the liquor to about the boiling point of Water is to prevent bacterial decompo sition, and to raise the grease or lanoline to a temperature above itsmelting.- point, so that the anhydrous lanoline may be recovered-why the centrifugalv separator. This operation is repeated, each time the securing liquor becomes foul, as many times as may benecessa1'y.until said liquor-becomes more or less saturated with alkaline salts naturally occuring in the Wool; fiber, and when a certain suitable density has-been attained, this varying with the quality of the Wool passing through the machine; and being determined by the physical characteristics of the liquorwhich on becoming thick and viscous is unsuitable for W001 scouring, the liquor is again returned to the centrifugal machine for the finals removal or separation of the grease and the cleared liquor is afterward incinerated in any suitable type of incinerator, whereby the potash and soda, if present, are recovered in the dried state.

The above process of repeated subjection of the liquor, when foul, to heating and cen trifugal action elfects the desired concentration Without the necessity of evaporation and therefore eifects a considerable economy in soap and other detergent"mate-'- rials necessary in the scouring process. It will also be understood that the use of acid for the recovery of grease is eliminated.

By repeated use of-the liquor as. above set forth, the separation becomes fullyeffective.

ere evaporation has not been performed, the foul liquor has formerly been ,screenedto recover the fiber and then discharged direct into the river, or'into a purificationplant, in either case this necessitatmg a fresh bath with a fresh supply of soap n ad soda.

In our process the soap and soda are not discharged by centrifugal treatment of the liquor but remain in the liquor after separation of the grease so that the liquor on return to the scouring machine requires no further addition of soap and soda excepting such as may be necessary at any time to make up for any loss by usage and therefore the consumption of such substances is minimized and a considerable economical advantage obtained. Further, the foul liquors being returned ,fOr re-use after each treatment by our process, no purification prii cess is called for andthere is no discharge of securing liquor into the drain or river. The recovery of Wool fat from Washing liquors by treating the liquor in. a centrifugal extractor has been previously proposed and no broad claim is made thereto p69" 86.

In the process of concentration according to our invention, it may possibly occur that the scouring liquor is unsuitable'for scouring purposes by reason of its high content of alkaline salts while at the same time this concentration may not be considered sufficiently suitable for incineration. Under these circumstances, We propose to treat the scouring liquor with Washed flue gases which maintain said liquor in suitable eiiiciency and enable more complete concentration to be obtained, said flue gases being forced througl'i the liquor or the liquor allowed to trickle down a flue up which the washed gases are passed. The period of carbonation is determined by the physical state of the liquor Which becomes so slippery in Working that the W001 fails to pass through or between the, rollers.

l-Iaving thus described our invention,v

What We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Aprocess for the treatment of foul scouring liquor, which consists in heating the foul liquor so as to liquefy the grease in it, and then subjecting the hot liquor to centrifugal action to separate the grease from the liquor leaving the liquor freed from surplus grease and in suitable condition for reus as a scouring agent.

2. Aprocess for the treatment of foul scouring liquor, which consists in'firs't perscouring liquor, which consists in heating the foul liquor to liquefy the grease in it, then subjecting the hot liquor to centrifugal action to separate the grease from it With-- out removing the soap and alkali, and finally removing any deleterious excess of alkali from the liquor by subjecting it to the action of a suitable reagent to effect carbonation.

In testimony whereof We'afiix our signatures in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

EDGAR VINCENT CHAMBERS. THOMAS CHARLES HAMMOND. GEOFFREY G. JARMAIN.

\Vitnesses TOM THOMAS, Ti onas H. BARRON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

' Washington, D. C. 

